Target.



C. H. ,WHITMAN. TARGET.

APPLlCATION mco ma. 7. 1916.

1 .,%U@ %5% Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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CHARLES H. WHITMAN, 0F DES MOINES, IOWA.

TARGET.

Application filed March 7, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WHIT- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Des Moines, in the county of Folk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Target, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a target of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, adapted for use with air rifles and the like.

A further object is to provide such a target having an alarm, and means for sounding the alarm, said means being so arranged that the shot may be saved and used again.

Still a further object is to provide such a device so constructed that it may be readily taken apart for replacing any of the parts.

Still a further object is to provide such a target having a removable perforated bottom member of cheap material which can be quickly and easily replaced.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the ob ects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical, central sectional view through a target embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the same part of the pasteboard target being broken away, and Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the pasteboard target.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a metal cylinder having at its for ward end an annular inwardly extending flange 11. Formed in the upper wall of the cylinder 10 is a slot 12 to receive the removable target member 13, which is made of cheap material such as pasteboard which will be readily perforated by the shot from an air rifle, and which is designed to have indicating circles 14, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Mounted within the cylinder 10 and spaced from the flange 11 a suitable distance is a wall or projection member 15. The wall or projection may be made secure to the interior of the cylinder 10 by means of angle brackets 16, screw-bolts 17, and nuts 19, if desired.

Supporting members comprising strips 20 resting against the wall of the cylinder 10 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1913. Serial No. 82,631.

and having upwardly extending flanges or members 21 adapted to be secured to the member 15 by means of screw-bolts 17, similar to those already described, may be used for securing the partition 15 to the cylinder.

At the forward ends of the strips 20 are flanges 22 turned radially inwardly within the cylinder and spaced from the flanges 11 a sufiicient distance to permit the edge of the target member 13 to be inserted between the flanges 11 and 22.

Received within the cylinder 10 adjacent to the partition or wall member 15 is a comparatively thick disk 23, preferably of felt or some other material suitable for stopping the shot without destroying it.

Angle brackets 24 may be adjustably secured to the cylinder 10 in front of the felt pad 23 for holding the pad in position.

Secured to the rear surface of the partition 15 preferably above the central portion thereof is a gong bell 25. Below the gong bell and preferably below the center of the partition 15, two horizontal slits are cut in the partition 15, and a strip 26 between them is bent rearwardly to form a loop. The flat spring member 27 is extended between the loop member 26, and the body of the partition 15, as shown in Fig. 1. At

its upper end the spring 27 has a portion 27 bent at right angles to the body thereof and extending forwardly in the target through a suitable opening in the central part of the partition 15, and through the felt pad 23.

On the forward end of the spring portion 27 a a resilient head 28, preferably made ofrubber is adjustably mounted on the spring by means of a bolt 29. The rubber head 28 stands adjacent to the back of the target member 13 and between said target member, which is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the felt pad 23.

A part of the front face of the pad 23 may be cut away around the head 28 at 30 for the purpose of permitting the head 28 to have some rearward movement before it engages the felt pad.

Just above the spring 27 a clapper 31 is pivotally supported. The clapper is so arranged as to normally drop by gravity to position just rearwardly of the upper end of the spring 27.

In the practical use of my improved target the parts are installed, and the target is set up for use. When the target is shot at with an air rifle and the marksman does not hit the bulls-eye, the shot will strike the felt pad 23 and either be embedded therein, or will drop to the bottom of the cylinder 10. If the bulls-eye is struck the shot will hitthe rubber head 28, driving the spring portion 27" and 27 rearwardly and cause the upper end of the spring 27 to strike the clapper 31 a sharp blow, whereby the clapper swings against thebell 25, the ringing of which indicates that the bulls- :eyeh'as been struck.

: It, will be noted that where the front part of the felt pad 23 is, cut away at .30, as shown, or even in most caseswhere that is not done, if the fel i soft, the impact of the elect on the head28 will drive the head re rwardiy so that during the first part of the movement of thehead, there is little resistance to, such rearward movement, while the farther thehead moves rearwardly the greater becomes the resistance of the pad 23,. so that the pad 23 reduces the strain and wear on the springv 27.

It ,will be noted that the members 20 with the flanges thereon serve the double purpose of supporting thepartition 15 and supportingthe targetmember 13. s

It will readil be seen that my target is of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction. and maybe used for air rifle shooting. and the like, and will save the shot so that the shot may be used again. Whenever thetarget member 13 has been mutilated to a certain extent, it may be removed and another similar member replaced.

It will be noted that the target is put together in such a way that it may be readily and easily taken apart for replacing or repairing the injured parts. handle 31 may be secured to the rear upper part of the cylinder 10 i y 7 Some changes may be made in the construction and;arrangement,of theparts of my improved target without departing from its essential features and purposes, and it is my intention to cover by this, application any such changes whichmay be included within the scope of my claims.

I claim ,as myinvention I 1. A target comprising a hollow body with an inwardly extending flange at its forward end, s aid body having a slot adjacent to ,s aid flange, a perforable target memberv designedto ,be extendedthrough said "slot and mounted in said body, a solid partitionmounted in saidbody rearwardly of forward part thereof, a cushioning i e n gw u ed. i fr nt. of a Par it a bell s upported on said partition, a clapper pivotally mounted below, said, bell, and adapted to normally hang downwardly, a spring supportedon the rear surface of I partition, a, forwardly extending niember on said spring extended through said partition and through said cushioning mem her, a head on the forward end of said forwardly extending member, said parts being so arranged that when said head is struck by a shot, the clapper will be agitated to strike the bell, and the spring will return the head to its normal position.

2. A target comprising a hollow body with an inwardly extending flange at the forward end, said body having a slot adjacent to said flange, a perforable target member designed to be extended through said slot and mounted in said body, a solid partition mounted in said body rearwardly of the forward part thereof, a cushioning member mounted in front of said partition, a bell supported on said partition, a clapper pivotally mounted below said bell and adapted to normally hang downwardly, a spring supported on the rear surface of said partition, a forwardly extending member on said spring extended through said partition and through said cushioning member, a head on the forward end of said forwardly extending member, said parts being so arranged that when said head is struckby a shot, the clapper will be agitated to strike the bell, and the spring will return the head to its normal position, said cushioning member being of such thickness and resiliency as to readily permit the first part of the movement of said spring, and also to receive the impact ofthe head and cushion it for reducingthe final strain on the spring;

3. A, target comprising a hollow body with an inwardly extending flange at its forward end, said body having a slot adjacent to said flange, a perforable targetmember designed to be extended through said slot and mounted in said body, a solid parti- 1 tion mounted in said body rearwardly of the forward part thereof, a cushioning member mounted in front of said partition, a bell supported on said partition, aclapper pivotally mounted below said bell and adapted to normally hang downwardly, a spring supported on the rear surface of said partition, a forwardly extending member on said spring extended through said partition and through said cushioning member, a head on the forward end of said forwardly extending member. said parts being so arrangedthat when said head is struck by a shot, the clapper will be agitated to strike the bell, and the spring will return the head to its normal position, a strip secured to said body on the interior thereof and having inwardly extending flanges adapted to be selectively secured to said partition and to support said perforated target member. 7

i. A target comprising a hollow body, a perforable target member removably mounted in the forward end thereof, a body of cushioning material spaced rearwardly from said perfora-ble member, a rigid member jacent to the bell, said head and clapper and mounted rearwardly of said cushioning bell being so arranged that when said head body, a head mounted between said perfois struck by shot, it will be driven rear- 10 rable body and said body of cushioning Wardly and the clapper Will be agitated to material, said head being yieldingly supstrike the bell.

ported on said rigid member, a bell suitably supported, a clapper pivotally mounted ad- CHARLES H. WHITMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

ashtnmton, D. U." 

